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Job action looms at Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, March 30, Ghanadot - Employees of the Ghana Broadcasting
Corporation (GBC), the nation’s broadcaster, are fuming with
anger over a new salary structure that has been introduced by
the management of the corporation.
According to a report, which is being circulated in the Ghanaian
media, this development started in January this year and that
sources within the corporation think the new salary structure
has ignited anger among some categories of the workers,
especially those at the senior level in the organization.
Mr. Ampem Darko, the Director General of GBC, who used to take
home a colossal amount of money around GH¢6,000 has had his
salary and allowances shot up exponential to GH¢20,000.
While his deputy, Mr. Anane Sarpong who used to take around GH¢2,000
according to the media, quoting its sources, have also been
given a huge increment.
What
has exasperated the workers is the disparities between category
'A’ and 'H' workers who take home salaries and allowances that
range between GH¢100 and GH¢300.
Information reaching Ghanadot indicates that category 'A'
workers, which includes all departmental heads, regional
directors and regional accountants, started receiving over GH¢1,600
since January of this year,
whilst the other categories in the same line are receiving GH¢300.
However, Mr. Ampem Darko, the Director General of GBC, denied
knowledge of this development. He also denied that he was
earning GH¢20,000 as being alleged and directed the media to
contact the National Media Commission (NMC) who employed him for
verification.
“Check from NMC and you will find out about my contract with
them, they will probably tell you how much I take" he stressed.
The Director General said whilst he would not want to comment on
the issue, because he believed that the Administrative Manager
of GBC should be in the best position to explain in detail the
salary structure and working condition of workers, Mr. Ampem
Darko promised to help rectify any anomaly if noticed.
When the divisional union chairman, Mr. Louis Darko was also
contacted, he confirmed the story. According to him, the code
‘A’ upward group of workers who enjiyed the huge salaries that
was the subject of anger among the workers, negotiated their
salary structure and working conditions directly with the board
of GBC, as well as top management of the corporation.
However, be explained that the Code 'H' and downward group,
which included himself were not lucky enough because, after they
had negotiated for increment nearly two years ago, nothing
concrete to that effect has since been done by the Ministry of
Finance.
Therefore, he said he would rather put the blame of the
disparity that has been created at the doorstep of previous the
government, especially the then Minister of Finance, for
deliberately ignoring their concerns.
He further explained that after negotiations, they presented
their report to the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Akoto Osei,
who made his special assistant, Mr. Oko Asare to handle the
matter, but to date, nothing concrete had come out of it.
Therefore, instead of placing the blame at the doorstep of the
management of GBC and jealously criticizing the huge gap being
created among the code 'A' upward group and the downward group,
he said the aggrieved workers should rather blame the former
Minister of Finance and the Finance Ministry for the delay in
the implementation of the report.
Ghanadot
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